Compact casket enclosure system and method

Abstract

To overcome problems concerning compact, inexpensive and long-term storage of entombment caskets in mausoleum crypts their is provided a extremely lightweight, yet durable enclosure for hermetically sealing caskets. The invention includes a foldable casket tray which receives a casket. A durable cover of wrapping material is placed over the casket and is attached and hermetically sealed to the tray. The cover is formed with a pressure relief valve for periodic self-ventilation of gases produced by decomposition of the casket and its contents enclosed within the hermetically sealed enclosure. When in folded condition, the tray serves as a compact shipping and storage container for the cover, a tray liner, and materials for attaching and hermetically sealing the cover to the tray. By virtue of the hermetic seal and extreme light weight of the enclosure, the enclosure is particularly adaptable for use in more compact, lightweight and inexpensive casket storage rack systems than are presently required for above ground mausoleum crypts.

I claim: 
     
       1. An hermetically sealable enclosure for an entombment casket comprising: tray means formed of chemically hardened flexible plastic material for receiving said casket; said tray means having a substantially rectangular floor means, and sidewalls and endwalls upwardly extending from side and end portions, respectively, of said rectangular floor means; said tray means being foldable between a closed shipping and storage position and an open casket-receiving position; said tray means having sufficient rigidity to act as a sturdy self-sustaining base for receiving said casket when in said open position and as a sturdy self-sustaining shipping and storage container when in said closed position;   means separate from said tray means for covering said casket when said casket is received in said tray means;   said casket covering means comprising foldable wrapping material of sufficient dimensions to envelop at least upper portions of said sidewalls and said endwalls and all portions of said casket protruding above said sidewalls and said endwalls when said casket is received in said tray means; and   means for hermetically sealing said casket covering means with said tray means to thereby provide an hermetically sealed enclosure for long-term storage of said casket.   
     
     
       2. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising means for lining said tray means. 
     
     
       3. The enclosure of claim 2, wherein said casket covering means and said means for lining said tray means are formed of the same material. 
     
     
       4. The enclosure of claim 3, wherein the material forming said casket covering means and said means for lining said tray means is a material which is impervious to air and water and resistant to chemicals, puncturing and aging. 
     
     
       5. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein said sidewalls and said endwalls of said tray means are of a height which is substantially less than the height of the casket received therewithin. 
     
     
       6. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein said means for hermetically sealing said casket covering means with said tray means comprise adhesive tape means. 
     
     
       7. The enclosure of claim 6, wherein said adhesive tape means attaches lowermost portions of said casket covering means to said sidewalls and said endwalls of said tray means. 
     
     
       8. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein said casket covering means further includes pressure relief means for releasing gases produced by the decomposition of the casket and the contents thereof which are contained within said enclosure, whereby said pressure relief means acts automatically to relieve gas pressure within the enclosure before such pressure reaches levels sufficient to destroy the hermetic seal between the casket covering means and the tray means. 
     
     
       9. The enclosure of claim 8, wherein the pressure relief means comprises a one-way check valve. 
     
     
       10. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein, in the closed shipping and storage position, the tray means has spaced apart fold lines substantially centrally located therein; the spaced apart fold lines substantially dividing the tray means into two half-portions, whereby the one of the half-portions is folded above the other half-portion. 
     
     
       11. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein, in the closed shipping and storage position, the tray means contains therein the means for hermetically sealing said casket covering means to said tray means and the wrapping material of the casket covering means in folded condition. 
     
     
       12. The enclosure of claim 11, wherein, in the closed shipping and storage position, the tray means further contains therein, in folded condition, a means for lining the tray means. 
     
     
       13. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein adjacent edges of the sidewalls and endwalls are ultrasonically welded to one another. 
     
     
       14. The method for providing an hermetically sealed enclosure for storage of an entombment casket comprising the steps of: (a) unfolding a tray means formed of chemically hardened flexible plastic material from a closed shipping and storage position to an open casket receiving position, said tray means having sufficient rigidity to act as a sturdy self-sustaining base for receiving said casket when in said open position and as a sturdy self-sustaining shipping and storage container when in said closed position;   (b) placing said casket in said tray means;   (c) covering those portions of said casket which protrude from said tray means with a separate foldable wrapping material;   (d) hermetically sealing said wrapping material to said tray means; and   (e) venting the space enclosed by said enclosure.   
     
     
       15. The method as defined in claim 14 further comprising lining said tray means with a lining material after said tray means is unfolded to said open casket-receiving position and before said casket is placed in said tray means. 
     
     
       16. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein, in said closed shipping and storage position, said tray means provides a receptacle for: said wrapping material, said lining material, and means for hermetically sealing said wrapping material to said tray means. 
     
     
       17. The method as defined in claim 14, where step (e) is performed by pressure relief means formed integral with said wrapping material, whereby said pressure relief means acts to release gases within the enclosure produced by the decomposition of the casket and the contents thereof which are contained within said enclosure, before such gases reach pressure levels sufficient to destroy the hermetic seal between the wrapping material and the tray means. 
     
     
       18. The method as defined in claim 14, further comprising the step of supporting said casket enclosure in a prefabricated lightweight rack means in an above ground mausoleum building. 
     
     
       19. a storage system for compact storage of at least one enclosed entombment casket, said system comprising: tray means formed of chemically hardened flexible plastic material for receiving said casket; said tray means having a substantially rectangular floor means, and sidewalls and endwalls upwardly extending from side and end portions, respectively, of said rectangular floor means; said tray means being foldable between a closed shipping and storage position and an open casket-receiving position; said tray means having sufficient rigidity to act as a sturdy self-sustaining base for receiving said casket when in said open position and as a sturdy self-sustaining shipping and storage container when in said closed position;   means separate from said tray means for covering said casket when said casket is received in said tray means;   said casket covering means comprising foldable wrapping material of sufficient dimensions to envelop at least upper portions of said sidewalls and said endwalls and all portions of said casket protruding above said sidewalls and said endwalls when said casket is received in said tray means;   means for hermetically sealing said casket covering means with said tray means to thereby provide an hermetically sealed enclosure for long-term storage of said casket; and   a prefabricated lightweight support rack means for supporting and storing said at least one casket.